


Stig's Visitors

by Born In Captivity- Ineligible to Release (Jashasedai)



Series: Alternate Universe - Tame Racing Drivers [39]
Category: Formula 1 RPF, Top Gear (UK) RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Tame Racing Drivers, Slavery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 09:33:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,039
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16083350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jashasedai/pseuds/Born%20In%20Captivity-%20Ineligible%20to%20Release
Summary: An AU in which a secret species is used as Racing Drivers, Top Gear's guests cannot compete with the Stig.Faced with a bored Racing Driver, and planning a rebellion against the companies that keep the Racing Drivers hostage, the TG3 recruit some new help- Formula 1 Racing Drivers.Updated March 16, 2019 with a new Jenson and Sugarboy chapter.(This story is based on the F1 Star in a Reasonably Priced Car feature on Top Gear.)  It takes place in the Tame Racing Driver AU/Racer Verse.(see the series summary, basically, all the drivers are the same species as Stig.)





	1. Damon Hill and Speed Demon

**Author's Note:**

> Notes Beginning:  
> This is part of the Tame Racing Drivers AU. Read the series summary.

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2007**

The Liana was being retired.  Stig had driven it around with every celebrity for the Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment of the show.  Ben explained via the headset buried in the helmet what the celebrity was to do.  Stig's practice car was a Vauxhall Monaro, but he knew the Liana inside and out.

James watched Stig run his hands over her.  Ben was here today, for this momentous occasion.  He was very rarely actually at the track, on a day to day basis.  Part of the reason no one could ever trail him to the track was the fact that he was barely there.  He stood beside James, in a hat, coat and very reasonable fake beard.  BBC makeup artists had their uses.

[Just me?  Why?]  Stig looked up from the blue Suzuki and asked.

[We know how fast the cars are, we know how fast the people are, but we want to know how fast YOU are.  It's no good without a comparison.  Besides, people want to know.  They want to know if you are faster than the F1 drivers, or if any of the people have beat the Stig.]

The Racing Driver lifted his helmet. [None of them have.]

He would know.  Racing Drivers had an incredible sense of timing.  Single Track Drivers more than most.  James had seen that from the Racing Drivers that had been to the track over the years.

 

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2005**

James was waiting in the production office when the car pulled up.  He stood and went out, down the steps, to the car park.  The man who got out of the car had greying hair and a goatee.  His name was Damon Hill, he had won the Formula 1 World Driver's Championship in 1996.   Well, he was partnered with the Racing Driver who had won in 1996.

"Hello, I'm James May," James said.  He shook the man's hand.  He was tempted to greet him with gestures, as he'd seen matches do at races.  He didn't know if it would be offensive, though, for him, a man known as Captain Slow, to greet one of the world's elite in what they considered their own private language.

"Hello, James.  Damon Hill.  It's a pleasure," Damon said, and out of the corner of his eye, James noticed the fingers of the hand that weren't occupied in shaking with James, were moving in partially completed gestures.

"I'll show you around the production office until your delivery arrives."  They went and looked at the crappy couch in the production trailer, the miniscule desk space, the kettle.  "This is the closet where the Stig stays."  James swung the door open, showing Damon the small room.

He looked genuinely alarmed.  Then he covered the expression with a laugh.  "Whatever guy you pay to play your Racing Driver must LOVE this as his dressing room."  He still looked uncomfortable, though.

Then his eyes unfocused and his face relaxed, like a man spotting his lover across a crowded room.  He turned towards the road that led to the airfield.  The effect this achieved from the outside was of a man smiling gently at the corner of a doorframe.

James led him back outside and across the runway to the hanger where the Stig lived.  He felt a bit of a silly smile of his own, getting more intense the closer he got to the cool, soothing presence in the hanger.

James felt, from outside himself, a surety come that there was a Racing Driver coming, someone special.  Like someone it would be an embarrassment of riches to meet.

A van pulled across the drive.  It was unmarked, but the men who got out were wearing Williams' uniforms.

The people from Williams literally sent a crate over to Dunsfold.  The two men in Williams uniforms unloaded it into the empty room in the hanger next to Stig's room.  They left it on the floor.

James stood back and watched Damon open it.  It was like one of those ventilated pet crates, padded inside, with offset vents in the double layered plastic so air could pass through, but the contents were not visible.  Inside was a humanoid figure in a yellow jumpsuit with the Williams logo, and a yellow helmet.  He shifted, then sat up.  Like a small child, he put his arms out to the man kneeling over him.

Damon hugged him, a blissful smile on his face.  "Hey mate, I missed you, too."  He leaned back.  [Ready to drive?] He gestured.  He did it with flare.  He had a mischievous grin.  The helmeted figure nodded rapidly.  He pushed himself out of the crate with an old man grunt.

He looked over at the wall, to where the Stig was in the next stall.  [Who is that?] He asked Damon.

Damon shook his head. [Who is what?]

[Is he my new teammate?]

"That'll be the Stig," James answered, still not totally comfortable with waving his hands at Damon in what the Stig assured him was perfectly sloppy, mumbling sign language.

Damon did a double take.  "You really HAVE a Racing Driver here?"

"Yes.  We'll go get him and he'll show your...um...I don't know his name..."

"Speed Demon,"  Damon said, fiercely, like he was used to defending the decision that had led him to naming his partner that.  James didn't mind, he had been told that most men matched as teenagers, and were not always the best qualified people to name other people.

"He'll show your Speed Demon the track."  James smiled.

"I always thought that was just a gag.  To poke fun at the companies."  Damon and Speed Demon followed James into the hallway and to the next room.

James opened the door and the white suited Driver stepped out. He stepped into his Stig pose.  Legs apart.  Arms crossed.

Speed Demon gestured a greeting.

Stig nodded his helmet.

"So you don't really keep him in that shitty little closet in the trailer," Damon asked.

"No, that IS just a gag."  James walked out towards the track, to where the Liana was sitting.

[What are we driving?] Speed Demon asked Damon as the four stood beside the car.

[This is Talent Finder,] James gestured.  He patted the car's roof.

[Joking.]  Speed Demon turned to Damon, who shook his head.  He turned to the Stig.

Stig crossed his arms.  If Speed Demon couldn't get the best out of this, what was the point of calling himself a driver?

Speed Demon put his hands on his hips like he was offended.  He huffed.  Then he snatched the keys out of Damon's hand and got in the car.

Stig turned and walked off the track.

[Aren't you going to help him get the best out of it?] James asked, as the two men followed.  Damon turned and counted down.

A sense of amusement came from the Stig.  What could he have done to motivate Speed Demon better?

\--

Speed Demon knocked several seconds off the best celebrity time.  He drove 18 laps  Each time getting steadily lower, until the final one, which was the same as the one before.  He'd pulled over, then.  He'd been able to tell to 1/100th of a second when his times had stopped dropping.

The next time a Racing Driver had come to the track was several months later.  That had been a more of an incident.

 


	2. Mark Webber and Rabbit

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2005**

When Jeremy put out the word asking for drivers who wanted to test their skills against the Suzuki Liana on Top Gear, the feelers they had put out in the car had been slow to respond.  No one wanted to be too closely associated with Jeremy's walking the line, taunting the companies. Damon, a British F1 Champion, of an age with the host, and an isolated guest, drew little attention.  It would have been odd if the show never had any well known drivers on.

A segment was something else.  It would look too much like allegiance.  That was the impression they were getting from their contacts, anyway.  Until an agent called and put her client on the phone. He spoke to Jeremy personally, and Jeremy's face went stormy, and then wide eyed, and then lit up like christmas had come early.

Jeremy, of course, couldn't be bothered to be onsite the day the man came for his lap.

James arrived at the track to find Ben already there, doing a workout with Stig.  James wasn't usually onsite for celebrity lap days, but with Damon, who they'd known they'd allow to see the Stig, it had been best to have the Stig's match on hand.

Ben seemed agitated.  "It's just..." he started.  "James, I've known this guy for years.  You say the Stig walks just like me, and if I talk...Odds are pretty good he's going to know who I am, James.  We could be giving everything away with this."

"He wants to help, Ben.  His agent says before he'd even matched he was already collecting evidence against the companies."

Ben shook his head.  "I mean, that doesn't sound like him.  Maybe in some ways, because he's stubborn.  If he's out to get you, you can bet he's going to do it.  This chivalry and heroism, though?" He shrugged.

"Well you raced with him for years, keep an eye on him, will you?  If he seems like he's faking." James patted him on the shoulder.

"Well that's the thing, I know Mark, but the Stig's been telling me about his Racing Driver, Rabbit?  HE sounds like a hero. Did you know he's the leader of the whole Redbull team's Racing Drivers? All the unmatched ones and everything."  Ben lowered his voice.

"I'd have thought that was David Coulthard's.  He was the first driver for Redbull."

"This Rabbit, he got in a fight with the handlers.  You know they don't fight, don't you? Like almost never, but the Stig says he fought all these guys with truncheons when they came to take the Stig away.  He talks about him with like...awe, James." Ben was wringing his hands.

James looked over at his Racing Driver, who was watching them.  The man he looked like and the man he was attached to. He couldn't speak, but James had always believe Johnny's assertion that the Stig could understand James's speaking.

[You trust your friend who is coming today?] He asked.

The Stig nodded, once.

[You trust his match?]

The Stig shrugged.  He'd never met the man, he couldn't comment.  He sent a feeling of a teacher with a child, making the child better than he had been before.  Being trained to do the right thing.

[Your friend is a good influence, then?]

James felt like he was safe, like there was someone standing back to back with him.

Ben was watching him, now.  This translating was tiring.

"He trusts the Racing Driver.  I think if the Driver has anything to say about it, they'll be helpful."

When James, Ben and the Stig met Mark outside the hanger, James and Ben shook hands with him, the Stig stood back and just watched.  Then when James moved to introduce him, he stepped forward and got ups close to Mark. Not challenging, just close to him. He was actually taller than Mark, and he had the advantage of the intimidating helmet.

[Where have you BEEN?! Did he tell you how hard it was for him?  He didn't bring a Championship here, today. He is STILL doing without a Championship, and you OWE him a Championship.  Do you understand me?] the Stig gestured. James had never seen him move his hands so far all at once. Not shouting, but definitely raising his voice.

Ben put his hand over his eyes.

[What?] Mark gestured.  [I know that. He'll get his Championship.  We're new.] He looked at Ben with open mouthed shock.  Like it was Ben's fault.

[You were supposed to be there for him SEASONS ago...]

James wasn't sure what was going on.  He sent soothing feelings to the Stig, who deflated a little.

[Stig, that's...just...stop.]  Ben stepped forward with his hand out, not touching Stig, he'd learned his lesson that their matching faces did NOT impart a match's right to touch the Racing Driver, but he herded him back from Mark.

The Stig put his fingertips on James' arm by the elbow, grounding himself with the contact.

James sent caring feelings.

[He doesn't know what you're talking about, Stig.] Ben gestured, stepping back out of the Stig's space, now that he was in James' care.

Mark was watching who was touching the Racing Driver and who was not with wide eyes.  He couldn't see the Stig's face, but he was built and moved like Ben, not like James. It would be natural for a match to assume that the Stig would be matched to the man who looked like him.

[I came for him as soon as they would let me,] he told Stig, suddenly.  [The company TRIED to keep us apart. We hate them for that. That's why we are here.  To make sure Racing Drivers get what they need.] He looked at Ben, then at James. He nodded.

The Dark Blue helmeted Racing Driver rolled out of his crate when his match opened it and clasped hands with his match, but his visor was towards the Stig.  [Calm at the Top of the Glacier,] he gestured.

James had never seen anything like Mark's Racing Driver clinging to the Stig.  He had his arms around him and his helmet pressed to the Stig's shoulder, and the Stig had his hand on his back like an older brother comforting a younger.  The Stig made soft engine noises, and Mark's Racing Driver made higher, more needy noises. They pressed their helmets together.

[You finally found him, Rabbit,] the Stig gestured, quietly. [I'm so proud.]

[I was worried about you, Stig.  Mark couldn't find out where you went.]  Rabbit turned to Ben with a hand out, and the Stig turned him towards James, instead.

Rabbit cocked his helmet at the Stig, who nodded.

Rabbit shook James' hand.  [He deserved a good man. He waited so long.]

Ben ducked his head.  He turned red and made an uncomfortable shuffling feet.

Mark looked at him.

[I am very happy to have him with me,] James gestured back.

The Stig bumped shoulders with Rabbit. Like two boys on the playground.  [You'll never guess what they're going to ask you to drive.] He laughed like a chuckling engine.

James had never seen the Stig so...relaxed.

They walked out towards the track.  The red TVR Stig had tested a few weeks before was still sitting there.  Rabbit stopped expectantly. [This is good.] He touched the bonnet and smiled. [She's so nice!]

Stig chuckled again and picked Rabbit's hand off the car.  [No, stallion, she's mine. Yours is over here.]

He walked over and patted Talent Finder's roof.

Rabbit looked back at the TVR.  He looked down at Talent Finder.  His eyes narrowed. A grin split his face as he opened the Driver's side door.  [What's your best time?]

Stig shook his head and pushed Rabbit's helmet down so he didn't bash it on the doorframe.  [Not on my track, stallion. You'll never beat my time on my track.]

\--

Rabbit, on the extremely wet track, came reasonably close to Speed Demon's dry track time.  Stig and Ben and Jeremy, and the Racing Drivers from McLaren who used the test track, all agreed that the difference was about 4 seconds between a wet and dry track.  If the track had been dry, Rabbit's time would have beaten Speed Demon's.

Before he left, Rabbit leaned very close to Stig, and they spoke quietly between them.  James only caught the end of what they were saying. [I had a teammate who might like to come here.  I will talk to him. I will have Mark talk to his man. I think you two will get along.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't know what to say, please choose a comment from the multiple choice pile:


	3. James May, Ben Collins, and the Stig

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2007**

[No.]  Stig shook his head.  He didn't want to go out into the studio when people were there.  [That will be Ben.] He crossed his arms, which usually meant he was done talking about it.

James hesitated, then put his hand on Stig's arm.  [Please?] He gestured. [The people don't want to know how fast Ben is.  They want to know how fast you are. Don't worry, all the people who will be there have Double Oh status.  We won't tell them who you really are, but if something happens, they are all safe.] 

No answer.

He smiled at his Racing Driver.  [Please? I want them to be proud of you.  Like I'm proud of you.]

Stig didn't sigh, just raised one gloved finger off his other arm.  [Fine.]

During filming of the studio portion of the show, when it was time to announce the Stig's lap, James waited patiently until the camera panned away from him to Jeremy.

He moved quickly through the crowd, not touching any of the guests, and he and Richard escorted Stig, like a guard of honor, from the side of the studio up to the dias.  James settled him in the chair and backed away, off the stage. He sent feelings of closeness and assurance. Let Stig know he was right there. [Just ignore Jeremy, and all the people.  All you have to do is stand up and come here to me when I call you. I'm proud of you,] He said in gestures nearly small enough to be whispers, with Richard between he and the crowd.

There was no interview, so the feed cut straight from Jeremy announcing the celebrity lap, to the video of the Stig in the Liana. 

Jeremy went and sat across from the Stig and commentated on the video.  His attention was only half on the screen.

Stig's eyes were glued on the screen.  This was the first time he'd been in the studio during filming, and the first time he'd seen them making the show.  Partway through the lap, he unglued his eyes from the screen and glanced around at the humans filling the studio. 

They were all fixated on the monitors.  Watching him drive with rapt attention. Even Richard was watching a monitor with awe on his face. 

James and Jeremy were watching Stig.

Just as, in the video, the Liana rounded the final corner, Jeremy made eye contact with James.  They both shared a moment of pride, then Jeremy put his game face on and started his spiel about the lap time.

The crowd laughed at the one sided banter and a feeling of pleased surprise came through James' bond with Stig.

Jeremy started reading the lap time.  After he announced 1 minute 44 seconds, but hadn't read the tenths of a second, that would make the difference between being fastest and not, James hurriedly gestured, [Come here to me.]

Stig stood up, calm and unconcerned as any Champion, and walked across the stage to his match.  He stepped down off the edge.

[Go out to Ben, now,] James gestured.  He grabbed his partner's hand as he went by.  Sent a feeling of the deepest love and pride. James and Richard joined Jeremy on the stage.  They had, as agreed, not read the time before the show.

As Stig strode out of the building, into the cool, blue night, cheers rose for the fastest lap time ever set in the Suzuki Liana.

James’ heart burned.  'My Champion,' He sent, 'My Track Champion.'

\--

Of course, Stig setting a lap time and the Liana retiring was not the end of the Racing Driver visitors.  The human guests were put in a new car. The Racing Drivers would still all be put in the Liana and tested against the same standard.

Their next visitors had been recommended by Mark and Rabbit.  They were Jenson Button and his blue jumpsuited double, Sugarboy.


	4. Jenson Button and Sugarboy

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2007**

It was sweltering.

Ben and James were huddled in front of the door that lead out of the hanger, whispering.

"It's too hot to take him out there in nomex and that helmet.  What am I supposed to do? Ben, you know how he gets in the heat."

Ben shook his head in agreement.  "No, absolutely, he'll stroke or something."

"It won't be as bad for the other one, he'll be in what Jenson has on.  Which will be weather appropriate."

Ben put his hand on his face.  "We could reschedule?"

"Honda has already shipped Sugar."

"Sugarboy,"  Ben corrected.

"Sugarboy,"  James said.

"It's supposed to be cooler, tomorrow, do they need him back right away?"

"What about Jenson?"

"What about Jenson?"  The door out opened and Jenson was standing there.  "Hey Ben. Hello, James, it's nice to meet you." He reached his hand out.

"Hi Jenson."  Ben gave him a handshake.

"Hello.  It's a pleasure to meet you."  James said.

"It's too hot."  Ben told Jenson.

"Yes, you see, we were worried our Racing Driver would get too hot, outside in this heat in nomex and his full kit."  James explained.

"So, hasn't he got any shorts or anything?"  Jenson shrugged.

"He can't be on camera in shorts," James said.

"He's...not usually on camera for the celebrity lap times, anyway."  He seemed confused by the fuss.

"For F1 guests, we have a behind the scenes feature."

"Well, I'll revoke my consent to that part of the interview.  No filming outside the car." He shrugged again.

James looked at Ben, who shrugged, too.

It was even more sweltering outside. 

Both Racing Drivers were in shorts and shirt sleeves, with their socks rolled down.  The crew was in sandals.

James had been unsure he would be able to schedule a time that worked with Jenson's schedule, and having Ben on hand was working out well.  Ben and Jenson had known each other for years, and had a better rapport in general than Ben and Mark.

"Look what I brought!" Ben said, pulling an envelope out of his pocket.

Stig, who was standing around with his arms crossed, looking regal, even with no helmet, in the heat, with his short blonde hair running with sweat, deigned to lean over and look.

Sugarboy swarmed over and leaned over Stig's shoulder, resting a hand on his back and looked as well.  Jenson and James cocked their heads to see.

It was a picture of 4 boys.  A little brunette in a go-kart, with a blonde boy sitting on the front tire of the cart.  Another blonde boy was standing, grinning wickedly into the camera and a fourth, older boy was crouching, looking off into the distance and chewing on a fingernail.

[That's Kiddo!]  Sugarboy said in huge gestures.  He reached over Stig's shoulder to point to the brunette.  [I grew up with him!]

It had taken James and Ben the better part of the morning to acclimate to him shouting everything.  One thing the variety of Racing Drivers coming through had made them understand, was that the small, barely there gestured Stig used were the equivalent of a soft voice.  He was quiet, even when he signed.

[And that's Weld,] He continued, pointed to the boy on the nose of the kart.  [I grew up with him, too. Where did you get this picture of my stable mates?]  He asked Ben.

The older boy was in jeans and a jacket.  The 3 younger boys were all in pretty civilian looking race overalls, not the sort of thing James had seen of the coveralls colts at the stables wore, which were all extremely generic, usually just with the stable logo on them.  James looked at Ben. It clearly wasn't a picture of 4 colts from a stable.

Jenson and Ben were looking at Sugarboy and Stig with puzzled expressions.

[Doesn't anyone else in the picture look familiar, buddy?]  Jenson asked Sugarboy.

[No, should they?  There were a lot of colts in my stable, but none of them looked like those two.]

Ben looked at James in bafflement.

[It's us,]  Jenson gestured to Sugarboy.  [Ben and I, when we were young.]  He pointed to the little blonde with the enormous grin.  [That's me. This is Ben chewing his finger. Didn't you look like that, when you were that age?]

Sugarboy shrugged. [I don't know, I can't see myself.]

Stig was much more interested in the picture, now.  He examined it closely and looked at Jenson, and then examined it closely again and looked at Ben.  He nodded slowly.

The Blue Racing Driver followed his example.  He smiled hugely. [He's right, it IS them.] Then he looked at the picture again.  He looked at Stig for a long time with a thoughtful smile. [And you.] He turned back to Ben.  [How did you get a picture with Kiddo and Weld?]

Ben shook his head.  [This is...] He stopped, because he didn't know Anthony and Dan's name signs.  [Their matches, I guess.]

The camera man called that they'd set up.  Jenson took Sugarboy over to the car. [Do your best.  I love you.] He told him.

Sugarboy did several laps, all with similar times and then set a few laps with higher times.  When he felt he'd done the best with the car that could be done, he stopped. He jumped out and threw a fist in the air.  [Yes!]

[That was really great.]  Jenson hugged him.

[Did I win?]  Sugarboy asked.  [That was the fastest anyone has ever gone.  Of course it was. Nothing could have been better.]

Neither of the Top Gear humans knew the time Sugarboy had done the lap in, but Stig hadn't reacted.  Then again, no one had ever gotten close to his time, so they didn't know if he would react if someone did.

[Wasn't that good, Stig?]  Sugarboy said, staring defiantly at the older Racing Driver.

Stig twitched a shoulder, just a little.

Sugarboy's smile broadened, now he looked like the boy in the picture with the wicked grin. [Are you better?  You're not better. I'm an F1 stallion. You can't beat me.]

He didn't move at all this time.

[Oh you think you're faster than I am?  If you can take THAT machine faster around THAT track...]  He paused and looked around in agitation, then locked eyes with the White Racing Driver as he hit on a wager, [I'll get on my knees and lick your shoes.  You are NOT faster than me.]

He was still for a long time.  Then he uncrossed his arms and held one hand out. [Keys.]

James fumbled the key ring with the key to the Liana and the Cee'd and Stig's Monaro on it.  He dropped it into Stig's hand.

He went and started the car.  James had the presence of mind to start his stopwatch.

Stig knocked 7 100ths of a second off his best lap time from the beginning of the series.

Whatever the other Driver's time had been, this was clearly better.  Jenson and Sugarboy were both staring, open mouthed. Ben was crossed armed and smirking. 

Still as emotionless as ever, Stig stopped, got out of the car, and walked back over to them.  He dropped the keys back into James's hand. He looked down at the F1 Driver. He crossed his arms and looked meaningfully at the ground.

\--

When Jeremy asked Jenson if he would trade the money and the F1 lifestyle for Sugarboy’s first win, Jenson stared at him with total focus and commitment.  “100%.”

Stig watched the interview with James and made a noise of approval.  [Rabbit was right. I like them.]

Their next visitor was an event.  Only in part because Stig blew the differential out of a Vauxhall and covered the last corner with oil, the morning before his lap.


	5. Lewis Hamilton and Snap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heads up for medical situations.

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2008**

[Who?] Stig asked.

[The McLaren F1 driver from last year.  You met him when the McLaren Racing Drivers came to test.]  Ben explained, walking him out to the Monaro.

Stig lifted his thumbs off his arms.

[The rookie.]

Stig snapped, [Yes.]

They got in the car.  Ben adjusted his own, open faced test helmet.  The counted down and threw the, [Go,] signal.

Stig ran all the usual lines on the track, examining for bumps and surface changes.  They always started the day with a track walk. It was always longer after a change in the weather, when swelling or contraction would change conditions.

They finished just in time for James to pull up. 

They walked over, discussing the track, but nothing had changed, and Stig’s answers were distracted.  Ben knew there wasn’t much to be gotten from him right after James arrived. Even his normally measured pace quickened, until they reached the door of James’s Fiat Panda.  Stig reached out to open the door, and then couldn’t bring himself to touch it, drawing his hand back. He leapt out of the way when James opened it.

“Lewis is right behind me,” James said.  “I have to run inside. Come with me,” He told Stig, waving in what was not at all a Racing Driver gesture, and heading for the productions trailer.

Stig trailed after him, craning to hear him talk.

He couldn’t understand what James said, James had a weird habit of talking and relying on Stig to understand his intent.  If Stig hadn’t been able to pull information straight from James’ mind, it would not have worked.

Ben shook his head.

Within 5 minutes a Mercedes GL420 had pulled up, and F1’s newest sensation hopped out.  Ben and the producer did the greeting. The truck had already dropped off the crated driver.  Dunsfold was McLaren’s test track, and they had shipped the Racing Driver to their own onsite facility.

James and Stig came out of the trailer as the group walked over the the McLaren building.

Ben noticed that Lewis looked nervous.   He shot the young man a curious look.

Lewis was washing his hands one over the other.  “Hate not being able to feel him in the box,” He muttered.

The procedure for uncrating the Racing Driver was different this time.  Damon had done it completely on his own, Mark and Jenson had a Trainer open the box and have them check their Racing Driver’s vitals.

Lewis stood well out of the way while the Trainer McLaren had sent approached the crate.  He put his hand up when James and Ben came closer. Lewis shifted from foot to foot.

Another handler, who’d accompanied the Trainer, was carrying a black nylon case with a red cross symbol on it.  It looked familiar to Ben.

The Trainer opened the latches on the crate and hurriedly opened the lid.

There was a Grey Racing Driver lying inside.

All the others had leaned up when their crates were opened, greeted their matches, and climbed out.  Stig always sat up and climbed out.

This Racing Driver just lay there.

Lewis moaned and lifted one foot like he wanted to go to him, but stayed in place.

The Trainer touched under the Grey’s helmet, feeling the pulse in his throat.

Stig’s helmet turned to James and Ben.  James lifted a hand, in the, [Wait,] sign.

“Get him out,” The Trainer said, sharply.

None of the other Racing Drivers’ crates had removable bases, but the Trainer and his assistant lifted the floor of the crate like a stretcher, and set it on a low table nearby.  The Trainer removed the stallion’s helmet. His face was dark skinned, like Lewis’, but looked bloodless.

James put his hand over his mouth.

Ben took a step back.

“Snap.  Come on, buddy.”  Lewis said, taking a step forward, now.

The assistant opened the case and Ben realized why it looked familiar.  It was a portable defibrillator. He opened an interior pocket and took out some bottles and needles, then pulled open the Racing Driver’s coverall.  Then he started to do CPR, pumping the stallions’ chest and counting.

The Trainer filled one of the syringes.  He waited until the assistant had finished the round of compressions, stabbed it into the stallion’s thigh, and hit the plunger.  The assistant felt the Racing Driver’s pulse.

He resumed the CPR.

“It’s usually quicker than this,” Lewis moaned.  “Usually works right away.” He rushed around to the head of the table and put his hands on his partner’s head.  “Wake up, buddy. Please open your eyes.”

The Trainer put his hand out, “Lewis, stand out of the way.”

Lewis agonized, and then obeyed.

After minutes of CPR, the Trainer administered another injection.  The assistant checked his pulse. “We’ve got him.”

The Racing Driver took a jagged breath.  The warmth returned to his face.

Now he sat up, looking up at the men, and rubbing his chest.  He held one hand out without looking away and Lewis dashed to him, hugging around his shoulders, the Racing Driver’s arm tight around his back.

Stig looked at James and Ben again and raised his hands.

“Is he...Is he okay?”  Andy asked.

The Trainer turned around.  “New York Minute sometimes has an adverse reaction to the tranquilizers used in transporting him.  He will need at least a day to recover. We have some testing planned for him, anyway, so we will schedule your test lap during the period.”

Andy didn’t seem pleased by this.  He went to send away the camera crew that was being paid to stand around along the track.  “Maybe we can get them to film something else while we’ve got them here,” He grumbled, “What else have we got on site?”

Lewis was running his hands over his Racing Driver.

James, Stig and Ben followed the producer.  Ben heard Snap yelp as his match found a sore spot.

He heard Lewis say, in a growl, low from desperation, “You cracked his fucking ribs again!  It’s only a couple klicks from the stable. Do you have to tranq him every fucking time? You’re gonna KILL him one of these days.”

The door closed behind Ben.  He shook himself like he could shake off the memory of the experience.

James still had one hand over his mouth.  The other was tight in Stig’s grip.

“This is what we’re here to stop, guys,” Andy said in a low voice.  “Just keep that in mind.”

Stig growled.  It sounded like a Lambo ready to jump the line.

\--

The lap, despite rain and an oily, slippery corner, when Snap was able to do run it, two days later, was phenomenal.  Stig stood alongside the track under his favorite clear umbrella and shook his head. [Invite him back when it is dry,] He said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If CPR is done properly it cracks ribs. Don't worry, they were helping him.


	6. Chapter 6

 

 

_They know about Ben.  Get him out of there._

 

Andy stared at the text message from the blocked number.  Shit. What were they going to do?

An instant later he got a message from Jeremy.

 

_Just got a message B got exposed.  Must talk. 999._

 

Then from Richard.

 

_Is this from you?_

_:They know about Ben.  Get him out of there._

 

Shit.

 

\--

 

Ben sat on his bed, staring at the phone in horror.  He jumped and then put on a smile when his wife came in.

“Just about ready, darling?”

He gulped.  “Something has come up, sweetheart.  We need to go stay with my cousin for a little while.  I’m sorry we’ll have to miss the show, but it’s pretty urgent.”  He started pulling suitcases off the top of the wardrobe. “Go get changed.  We need to pack.”

 

_They know you aren’t him._

_Take your family._

 

 

 


	7. Michael Schumacher and Shoe

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2009**

The sudden tension in his shoulders was the only reason James knew something had caught Stig’s attention.  [He is strong,] He commented.

Of all of them, he was the calmest.

Jeremy was pacing, kept running his hand over his head, kept pouring cups of coffee.

“He would have to be, wouldn’t he?” Richard answered James’ translation.  “Would you SIT DOWN?” He snapped at Jeremy.

[Why are you calm?] James asked Stig.

He shrugged.  He sent an image James had come to recognize as the inside of his cage at the holding facility.

 

_ He watched as the handlers opened a cage door and dragged a Green out with a catch pole.  He tracked the stallion’s mind out of sight and wondered why the other Racing Drivers closed their connections. _

_ It was too late to close them when the Green started dying. _

_ The next time the handlers dragged a Racing Driver to that room, he closed his connections. _

_ It was the new Racing Drivers who were the hard part. _

_ Stig couldn’t feel the mare, it was a Red, this time.  The new Racing Drivers, like he had been new, could feel it, though, and their protests and sympathetic agony couldn’t be closed out.  He couldn’t close his ears. _

_ Every time the handlers opened his cage after that he wondered which direction they would drag him. _

_ After a long time, it didn’t matter anymore. _

 

Stig smiled his little smile, behind his visor.  [I have lived more than I ever expected to be allowed.  You opened my cage and let me out into the meadow,] He gestured at the track. [If I die, now,] He nodded and left the statement unfinished.

He moved his helmet slightly.  Before they could ever hear the engine of the van that pulled up a moment later.

It was strange seeing Michael Schumacher driving the panel van.  He gave a little wave and went around to the back. He opened the crate, right there, in the van, and the Red sat up, catching his hand and pulling himself upright.

James sensed Stig’s back straightening.

Shoe hopped down out of the van, focused on the White.

He came close and removed his helmet.  Everyone was quiet, as if a king was making a speech.

Stig pulled off his own helmet and held it under his arm, like a soldier at attention.

Shoe bit Stig’s cheek.

Stig didn’t twitch.

When the F1 champion’s mouth came away, there was a partial ring of bloody flesh on Stig’s cheek.

Stig bit him back, drawing blood as well, but not as much.

Shoe turned around.  [You cannot beat this track expert’s times, Michael.  If you were each setting a wet lap, maybe.]

[It is alright,] Michael jutted his chin.

James pulled out a handkerchief and dabbed the blood off Stig’s cheek.  ‘He BIT you,’ He complained.

Stig looked down and felt uncomfortable.  ‘If we had been...if there had been more Racing Drivers in our lives, you would have seen this before.  The retired stallions could have.’ He felt smug. ‘None of the young ones would dare bite ME, a champion, like an equal.’  He chuckled. ‘You saw. None of them were close to being able to challenge me.’

He paused.

‘We will invite Snap back.’

‘He sees you as an equal?’

‘If I were a team stallion, I would be a multiple world champion, James.  I bring you championships. A different kind.’ He glowed with pride.

[You know this will be a joke lap?] He asked Stig.  Stig put his helmet back on.

[I would like to see the stallions set real lap times.  No one has to know.]

[Both of them?] James asked.

Stig dipped his head.

\--

No one timed Shoe and Michael’s laps around Dunsfold.  Stig kept track of the time in his head. He was pleased, but never told anyone what the results had been.

Michael getting lost aired on television.


	8. Jeremy Clarkson

**Dunsfold Aerodrome (Top Gear Studio Track)- 2009**

The films they had shot before the end of the season were used the next year, but they were the last Stig ever filmed.  Richard was sent to a holding facility, and came back matched to a young white with an active personality, ironically named Silence.  Of course Richard referred to him as Stig and Stiggy on air, and everyone whose business it was not was told his name was Stiggy.

Stig adored his new brother.  They played chase, and practiced together.  Both of them getting faster and stronger in each other’s company.

After the winter, Jeremy stopped in Stig’s stall one day after filming.  He pulled something about the size of one of his packs of cigarettes out of his pocket.  [I want to trade,] The broken match said, in long out of practice gestures.

Stig looked down with the crumpled box with a picture of an old, black F1 car on it.  [For what?]

[What do you have?]

[Two music machines and some pages with drawings of planes.]

[Would you trade for that pack of gum?]  Jeremy pointed to the pink bubblegum sitting on the table.

[It is not full,] Stig said.  He wasn’t sure what was going on.  He didn’t really need a crumbly box with a picture on it.

[I will trade that,] Jeremy told him.

Stig picked up the gum from the table and handed it to Jeremy, accepting the paper box.  There was something inside it. He opened the worn tab and a deck of playing cards slid out into his hand.

[Shoe asked me to give them to you.]

The tame Racing Driver froze.

[He cannot walk, can he?] He asked.  [Or drive?]

Jeremy shook his head.

[And they killed his man.]

[We think so.]

Stig turned his helmet visor away from Jeremy.  He took off his helmet and took something out from under the lining.

It was a key on a little metal circle with a link attached through a hole, and at first, Jeremy thought it was a keychain. There was a length of ribbon through the link, so fine and such a delicate pink it was almost white.  The kind ballerinas, like James’ Sarah wore. He turned the disc over and realized it was a tag from an animal’s collar. Specifically a cat.

It said Fusker.

[You take this to him, instead of the gum.]

[Where is the key from?] Jeremy asked.

[James’s home.]

Jeremy nodded and set the gum down on the table.  [This is a good trade.]

Stig put the pack of cards in his helmet.

\--

His next visitor was a familiar face.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave a comment.
> 
> If you are having a hard time thinking what to say, please consider the following (feel free to leave your letter of choice.)
> 
> A) I like this  
> B) This is awesome  
> C) What will happen next?  
> D) I didn't think this was interesting.
> 
>  
> 
> Notes End:  
> Real People don't belong to me.
> 
> This story is fiction and is no reflection on anyone in it. The story does belong to me, as does the AU in which it is set.


End file.
